MonoMonday-Trees Drastic Measures

This is an old Laurel Oak, the Focus tree in our front yard. I say old because, unlike Live Oaks which can live for hundreds of years, Laurel Oaks are short-lived. This one is, according to the Arborist, probably 45-50 years old. Sixty years for this variety of oak is considered amazingly old! This tree is actually two trees that grew together, forming a V in the trunk, a dangerous thing for a tree. The probability of a catastrophic splitting is great, especially as the tree ages.

We get the tree's crown thinned each year to make it easier for the wind to blow through should we have a severe storm. Two years ago we had her 'Pinned & Cabled'. Three large metal bars were inserted through both of her trunks to help stabilize them. A cable was loosely attached up in her crown to also help her stability in the event of a storm. There are, of course, no guarantees. But we love this old tree and so do all the other creatures, so we tried to give her the best chance to survive.

This photo is looking up into her crown. You can see the cable.